Transforming a Neighborhood Park

OREGON

From a filled-in swimming pool in the 1960s, to a revitalized park, Oregon’s DC Latourette Park has been transformed into a valued community space.

In 2016, Girl Scouts of Troop 45064 hosted an event at the park to learn about how the neighborhood wanted to improve the blighted property which consisted of an asphalt area with a chain-link fence. The event led to the formation of the DC Latourette Park Core Team, who alongside the City of Oregon City and McLoughlin Neighborhood Association requested assistance from The National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS-RTCA).

To further scope how the community wanted to revitalize the area, NPS-RTCA conducted online surveys, facilitated stakeholder meetings and coordinated an open house for the general public. This public input led to the creation of the DC Latourette Park Revitalization Plan which included modern play concepts like swings and slides combined with rocks, logs and wood chips to encourage children to get more in touch with the natural heritage of the area.

With the revitalization plan in hand, the community was able to rip out the asphalt and transform the area into a neighborhood resource. Today, the newly renovated park features a rain garden which helps with local flooding and has something for all ages to enjoy.

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For more than 30 years, the National Park Service - Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program  has been moving the needle on conservation and outdoor recreation in communities across America. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.